Conflicted
by SilentAffections
Summary: A love story? No, this is a tale about a boy who had loved only to have lost it all. And in this tragedy we call life, he had come upon a solution, one to fill his heartache. But will he succumb to his old ways, or allow this darkness to devour him whole? ItaNaru GaaNaru


_As the moon slowly rose up into the sky, its gentle rays cascaded the village in faint hues of white. Providing a sense of light for its people as night began, and the wind soon picked up. It's strong current running along the many acres of sand, tossing each grain this way and that. Creating small individual sand storms within the village of Sunagakure. With their faces plastered against the windowpane, children watched perplexed as the grains crashed against one another. Driven up by the wind only to collide with another and eventually spiral down towards Earth. _

_But much was different for a young blonde and his redheaded lover who simply watched from their own home. Their fingers intertwined even when they stood feet apart. _

_His gaze slowly shifted towards his friend who stood motionless. The long blonde strands of his hair now reaching far passed his waist. He was never one to like long hair and yet this boy had pulled it off, often tying it back with a single red ribbon. At first Gaara thought this to be ridiculous, but then he too noticed that things began to change. When they had first met many years ago, Naruto had come to the village seeking refuge and the village embraced him with open arms. He was vulnerable, clumsy, running from something no one knew. Not even he. But Naruto had come to find something in this town, something he felt worthwhile. And his vision became clear, his stance became more confident, his blue gaze sharp. He would laugh or smirk and the girls would swoon over every word, every gesture. And Gaara was struck by how beautiful this boy had become, how open he was that was, until it came to his past. _

_Now he stood gazing at this man for what he felt could be the last time. And he wanted nothing more than to reach over and place a kiss on those soft lips, only to remind the blonde of what he would be leaving behind. But instead the redhead laughed, and decided upon a halfhearted joke, nervously running his fingers through the silky strands of his hair. _

"_You'll never see anything like this back in Konoha." _

_The blonde flinched, breaking free from his trance as he tore his gaze away from the storm brewing outside. The blues of his eyes coming to rest upon his friend, "No." he answered, offering up a look of sympathy, "But we all knew I couldn't stay forever." _

_He continued to stare at his lover, looking to the black that had again formed around his eyes. He knew by leaving he would also be saying goodbye to his only friend, and the one person he had come to cherish most. But that was simply a risk he would have to take. Even if it meant leaving the one thing he had come to live for. "Gaara." He whispered, "You know that this has nothing to do with you." _

"_Yeah?" He shot back, tightening his grip around his lover's, "Then promise me you'll come back, even if its years from now. Promise me you wont forget about this life and all we had. Even if you find another, promise that each moment spent with him will mean nothing like those you spent with me. Promise that you'll love me." _

"_Love?" He asked, visibly shaken by the concept, "Why do we have to do this tonight? Can't we just- _

"_Why wont you just say it?" He demanded, his cheeks now reddening with anger, "Why cant you just love me?" _

"_Stop it." He began, trying desperately to calm his thoughts. Out of frustration, the young blonde tore himself from the boy's grip, distancing himself from the male. _

"_Is it that hard to say you love me?" He asked, tightening his fingers into fists as his body continued to tremble. "Really Naruto? What was I, just some fuck to you?" But when he looked to his lover he noticed his posture had become calm and collected. And when those blue eyes met with his, there was something there he hadn't recognized, as if the boy himself was now functioning on autopilot. _

"_Really Gaara?" He began, a chilling laugh escaping from his lips as he continued to burn a hole through the boy, "Who could possibly love you?" _

_He stood at its massive gates, looking to the old wood with a sense of comfort. He was home, and though nobody would remember the boy, he was excited by the mere thoughts of stepping into his village and reuniting with old friends. Yet as he began on that old cobblestone path leading into town, he felt a presence watching him, calculating his every move. Determining whether he could be a possible threat to the citizens of the old leaf village. _

"_Relax." He began, looking to the male who stepped from the shadows, "It's me." _

"_Hn?" The older male asked, clothed in a variety of blues and greens. With one hand he held onto a book, its cover a bright pink, and with the other he held his mask in place. Ensuring that it cover one eye as he openly stared with the other. "And who is me?" _

"_You don't remember me, Sensei?" _

_At this he choked, holding back a laugh as he picked his book up off the ground, "Lover boy! I never thought I'd see you again. We always asked about you, but he said you just took off, without a word. My have you changed. Wait till the others see this." _

"_He?" Naruto asked, a thin eyebrow raising with curiosity. He could only think of one man who would tell the village such a lie. One man who could tell only half the story without leaving much room for the rest. _

"_Oh you know." Kakashi began, gesturing towards his former student who simply cocked his head. _

"_Your boyfriend, Itachi." _


End file.
